If you own a pet especially a dog, then you surely understand the situation when you have to leave your dog at home when going out.
Or if you are going for a long drive you may want to take your best friend cum dog with you (well, who doesn’t like spending time with their warm dog).
But taking your dog with you in your car pose some dangers as well, like, what if your dog isn’t restrained/ on seat properly, if they cause a nuisance or jump suddenly.
Even the small incident can put their life in serious danger. And that is why itis necessary for your dog to wear a seat belt, just like you. But then the question comes, “what seat belt is preferable to buy for your dog?”
This article contains a list of top 10 best seat belts you can get for your dog, including some important details about dog seat belts.
Thus which will help you learn about dog seat belts and how you can use them properly along with your car seat belt.
But before anything let us learn about “What really dog seat belts are?”
What is a Dog Seat Belt?
Dog Seat Belt also known as car safety harness for dogs are specially designed to keep your dog restrained in a position.
It ensures that your dog stay inside your car; plus, they work well with your car’s default seat belt (which are not meant for dogs).
Read Also:
A dog seat belt ensures protection for your dog and prevents any distraction that may result in affecting your driving; thus, it helps to improve your safety as well.
Benefits of Dog Seat Belts
Drive distraction-free: Dog seat belts not only help in keeping your dog at one place, but it also prevents your dog to distract you while you are driving. So, you can keep your eyes on the road.
On average a dog likes to climb or sit in their owner’s lap, and if they do inside car while you are driving then it can get a serious or may lead to unfortunate events as well.
That is why it is important to keep them at one place, using a safety car harness or Dog seat belt.
Keep your dog inside the vehicle: While riding most of the dog likes to have the windows down, their head out & tongue breezing and they get excited on seeing a small animal or even other things too.
In this excitement, they tend to jump out of an open window which is really dangerous.
However, a dog seat belt helps in keeping them in one position and prevents them from jumping out of the car in excitement.
Secure your dog: Your dog’s safety is equally important as yours, no matter if you are taking them out for a walk or taking them on a ride with you in a car.
By using a dog harness or dog seat belt you can make sure that your dog stays safe & secure with you and avoid any possible mishappening.
Types of Dog Seat Belts
Like any other thing, different types of seat belts are available in the market which are the following:
1. Harness
This is the safest option for a dog seat belt if compared to other options. A harness provides complete restraint of your dog without causing any risk of your dog choking.
It perfectly fit on your dog & can be easily attached to your seat belt using clips or straps.
2.Leash Attachment : Clip-In
This is the most common type of dog seat belt used by many. The difference is that this one attaches directly to your dog’s harness or collar and can be clipped into your car’s seat belt receiver.
Leash Attachment : Loop Strap
This is almost like the clip-in leash attachment but instead of a clip, it contains a loop at the other end which can be fixed to your car seat headrest.
Top 10 Best Dog Seat Belts
1. Blueberry Pet Seat Belt
The first thing to know about this product is its wide compatibility i.e., can be used with a range of vehicle and dog sizes as well.
Along with that Blueberry Pet, Seat Belts comes in a wide assortment of colors also i.e., 19 to be approx. including red, baby pink, blue, black etc.
The width of the strap measures about 1-inch, while the length ranges between 16.5-25.5 inches; it is an adjustable belt so that you can create an ideal length according to the size of your dog & seat.
There is a metal larch present at the one end of the belt which is designed to fit into the female slot of your vehicle; and the other end has a clip used to attach to your dog’s safety harness or body harness.
The belt is low-maintenance & can be cleaned in your washing machine. It is easy to install and is manufactured from nylon material.
The only drawback of this product is its incompatibility with Volvo cars.
PROS:
- Affordable,
- Easy to install,
- Wide variety of colors, vehicles & size of the dog,
- Adjustable & low maintenance,
- Made from nylon.
CONS:
- Not compatible with Volvo cars.
2. Pawaboo Dog Safety Vest Harness with Car Seat Belt Lead Clip
The product is equipped with a safety vest harness, an adjustable car seat belt and is available in four different sizes i.e., small, medium, large & extra-large; depending on your animal’s size.
It also comes in a variety of colors i.e., black, red, navy blue & white, red & white, rose red grid, blue grid, red with U.K. flag, blue with flags, pink with U.S. flag, and gray with U.S. flag as well as different styles.
Manufactured from high-quality oxford fabric which is 100% polyester which ensures its durability, it is lightweight so, won’t be a burden on your dog’s back, and is soft.
Plus, it is equipped with a broad sponge chest plate that adds extra protection & comfort for your dog.
The only downside is that its range of compatibility doesn’t cover some vehicles such as: ATV Ranger, Chevrolet Spark, 1992 Chevrolet Caprice Station Wagon, 1994 Ford Explorer, 1993 Ford F-15.
2012 Ford Focus, 2014 Honda CR-V, 2013 Honda Odyssey, 2013 Honda Pilot, Kia Forte, Kia Niro, Kia Soul, and Lexus RX350.
PROS:
- Safety harness & seat belt,
- Sponge padded chest plate,
- Manufactured using high-quality materials,
- Available in a variety of colors & sizes.
CONS:
- The narrow range of compatibility.
3. Vastar 2-Pack Adjustable Pet Car Seat Belt
Keeping the comfort of your pet(s) in mind these safety harnesses are specially designed to keep your dog safely inside the car while you can drive without any distraction.
It is equipped with solid zinc alloy swivel snap & metal buckles which ensures high durability and doesn’t rub off against your pet’s skin and cause any scars.
Vastar’s car seat belt comes in different colors namely black, blue, fluorescence green, orange, pink & red; and an adjustable strap ranging between 19.68″ to 32.28″ depending on the size of your pet.
Its swivel snap provides easy motion to your pet while keeping them safely at one place irrespective of your dog’s size.
It’s easy latch metal buckles attaches in no time and product comes with an 18-month warranty. Though the product comes in a pair, but you can buy it a single unit also.
The only drawback of this product is that it is incompatible with number of vehicles; e.g., 2015 Acura RDX, 1989 Ford F-150, 1989 Ford Ranger, 2013-2014 Honda Pilot, 2016 Honda CR-V and 2012 Kia Forte.
For some vehicles product works for the rear seat for some it works for the back seat; so, make sure to check with manufacturer before purchasing.
PROS:
- Metal buckles & swivel,
- Easy attach clip design,
- Adjustable,
- Durable,
- 18-month warranty,
- Variety of colors,
CONS:
- Incompatibility with some vehicles.
4. Kurgo Dog Seat Belt
This product comes in a basic design with a universal fit specially designed to keep your pet restrained at one place without causing any strain (of any kind).
The default seat belt of most vehicles can extend up to 15″-22″ and Kurgo Dog Seat Belt attaches well with it.
Although, it is recommended to not use it with Volvo and Ford Trucks (confirmed by the company). It is easy to use, just one click and you are ready to enjoy the ride with your buddy.
It comes with a quality lifetime warranty against any manufacturing defects, provided it is purchased from an authorized dealer.
Kurgo seat belt uses a carabiner which attaches to your dog’s harness and then you attach it with your car’s seat belt.
PROS:
- Adjustable,
- Lifetime warranty,
- Universal fit,
- Carabiner attachment.
CONS:
- Can be a bit pricey,
- Not compatible with Volvo & Ford Trucks.
5. SlowTon Dog Car Harness
Slowton safety harness & strap combo comes in variable sizes including XXX-small, XX-small, X-small, Small, Medium and Large.
Other than variable size, this product also comes in variable colors such as black, bottle green, burgundy, dark blue etc.
Each one with detailed chest piece made from breathable mesh fabric & flannelette edge to absorb moisture and reflective stitching on the strap which means you can use it at night as well.
Equipped with a 360-degree swivel that provides motion and strap has a seat belt latch with one click attachment.Easy to use can be put on with two buckles and your work is done.
Similar to other dog car seat belts, SlowTon also has one downside i.e., incompatibility with some vehicles.
PROS:
- Variable sizes & colors,
- Affordable,
- Double mesh fabric,
- Reflective stitching,
- Harness & strap combo.
CONS:
- Incompatible with some vehicles.
6. URPOWER 2-Pack Dog Seat Belt
Equipped with zinc alloy swivel snap and anti-rust hook & clip, this is one of the best dog car seat belt that you should consider buying.
It is manufactured by using strong quality & sturdy nylon fabric which ensures durability. Its swivel snap provides motion to your pet and prevent the seat belt from getting tangled.
The adjustable elastic strap can be adjusted from 20.8″ to 26.3″ and also protects your pet against aftershock of sudden breaking.
It is available in variety of colors including black, grey, blue etc. so you can choose as per your likeness.
One important thing is the strap is 0.83″ wide so, you will have to check its compatibility with your vehicle before buying it.
As most car seat belts have a universal design, you might have to attach a URPOWER dog car seat belt to a safety harness rather than a collar.
PROS:
- Manufactured from Nylon fabric,
- Zinc alloy swivel snap with anti-rust hook & clip,
- Adjustable elastic strap,
- Affordable,
- Available in a variety of colors.
CONS:
- Not good for larger dogs,
- The strap can be too long for few breeds.
7. Mighty Paw Safety Belt
This is the safest and standard option to keep your pet in one place Mighty Paw safety belt uses latch bars present between the crease of your car’s backseat.
These latch bars are necessary as per the law (meant for child’s safety generally but can be used for pet’s safety as well).
Mighty Paw seat belt securely latches onto an object inaccessible by your pet. Equipped with a strong carabiner hook manufactured from aluminum and swivel snap to provide tangle-free movement.
The strap is highly adjustable i.e., 16″-26″ and is constructed by using only high-quality & weather-proof nylon & metal hardware ensuring durability.
The latch bars attachment makes the Mighty Paw seat belt a universal fit; with a 100% satisfaction guarantee claimed by the company that you can return the product if it’s not up to your imagination.
The only problem you may face is with the installation of this seat belt.
PROS:
- Attaches to default latches present in vehicles,
- Manufactured using high-quality nylon & all metal hardware,
- Aluminum carabiner hook,
- Adjustable strap,
- 100% satisfaction guarantee backed up by the company,
- Swivel snap for tangle-free movement.
CONS:
- Can be difficult to install.
8. Friends Forever Pet Seat Belt
If you are running low on budget and need an affordable solution with great features, the Friends Forever Pet Seat Belt is just the right option for you.
Sold in a pair product is equipped with an adjustable belt that can be extended from 20″ to 32″ and easily attaches to the car’s factory seat belt receptacle.
It is manufactured by using only high-quality & durable nylon fabric material with 5 layered stitching for extended durability.
It has a swivel snap & collar buckle made from U.S. Zinc alloy metal and prevents tangle.
Since it uses a 2 cm tab on the seat belt slip, you shall have to check if it’s compatible with your vehicle or not. And, one last thing to keep in mind is to use these seat belts with a harness and not with a collar.
PROS:
- Affordable,
- Made from nylon with 5-layer stitching,
- Zinc alloy metal hardware,
- Adjustable strap & tangle-free swivel snap.
CONS:
- Incompatibility with certain vehicles.
9. Leash Boss Car Seat Belt Restraint
Unlike most dog car seat belts, the product uses heavy-duty nylon coated stell rope instead of nylon strap which means the chances of your dog chewing the strap are very less.
Another unique feature of this product is that attaches to latch bars present in the rear seats and not car’s factory seat belt receptable.
Since it attaches with latch bars, it means it can be used with wide range of cars.
Leash Boss seat belt is available in 5 different sizes which includes: small (16 inch), medium (21 inch), large (26 inch), X-large (31 inch), and XX-large (36 inch); so, no matter how big your dog is Leash Boss has got you covered.
The product comes with swivel clip that needs to be attached to your dog’s safety harness and a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty; which provides protection against defects & any product issues.
PROS:
- Heavy duty nylon coated steel rope,
- Different sizes,
- Universal compatibility with vehicles,
- Uses swivel clip & latch system for attachment,
- 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.
CONS:
- Provided all the features it holds it can be a little expensive.
10. BWOGUE Headrest Restraint
Last on the list but packed with features, BWOGUE Headrest Restraint is a bit different than most of the dog car seat belts.
The feature that makes it different is that it uses car’s headrest for installation instead of seat belt receptable or latch bars; which makes it universal.
Manufactured using nylon fabric & run-of-the-mill strong zinc alloy metal hardware to make swivel clip and buckles.
Adjustable strap can be stretched from 18″ to 30″, which can accommodate pets of almost all the sizes. And since it is a leash, you can use it outside for vehicle also.
So, all you need to do is walk your pet to your car, secure the leash on headrest, take your pet on drive and when you reach your destination remove it from the headrest and use it as a leash dual-functioning.
Available in different colors such as black, blue, purple, pink etc. you will have to use this with harness and not collar.
PROS:
- Universal,
- Wide compatibility,
- Variety of colors,
- Dual functioning,
- Elastic bungee options,
- Adjustable & tangle-free.
CONS:
- Works well only with adjustable headrest,
- Can be too long for few breeds.
Read Also:
Conclusion
Dog car seat belts is an easy & more secure way to keep your pet safe with you while you are driving on the road.
It helps keep your pet safely restrained in one place and prevents any distraction otherwise caused by pets.
There are different types of dog car seat belts available in the market having different attachment, stitching styles, metals, etc.
From which you can choose one as per your pet’s convenience and compatibility of your vehicle. Some dog car seat belts are universal while some work well with only certain vehicles.
